scope:

This standard describes design and performance requirements along with testing methods for evaluating radiation detection instruments that are pocket-sized and worn on the body for detection and identification of radioactive materials commonly known as spectroscopic personal radiation detectors (SPRDs).

The performance requirements contained in this standard are meant to provide a means for verifying the capability of these instruments to detect changes above background levels of radiation, notify the user to these changes, and provide a means to determine if the alarm was caused by a radionuclide of interest that may require further evaluation.

These devices are not intended to provide a measurement of dose-equivalent rate. However, their indication can provide an approximate value of exposure rate. They may also be used during initial response to a radiological or nuclear incident as part of a consequence management effort to locate radiation sources and possibly to detect high levels of contamination from gamma-emitting materials. No requirements for consequence management use are defined in this standard.

Successful completion of the tests described in this standard should not be construed as an ability to identify all radionuclides in all environments.

Purpose

The purpose of this standard is to specify performance criteria and test methods used to evaluate radiation detection and radionuclide identification instruments that are pocket-sized and may be worn on the body.